Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Galena, Alaska 99741
Saturday, August 30, 2008 16:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot reported that while in level cruise flight during a Part 91 personal flight, the engine began to run rough and lose power. After seeing the engine fuel pressure fluctuating, the pilot switched fuel tanks. He said the roughness improved momentarily, followed by a strong smell of fuel in the cockpit, which was followed by a complete loss of engine power. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot selected a marshy tree-covered site as a forced landing area. During the forced landing, the airplane collided with trees, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. During a postaccident examination, an FAA inspector discovered that the main fuel line between the engine driven fuel pump and the main fuel servo assembly was disconnected, and noted that neither the fuel line nor the connectors were damaged during the accident. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that a maintenance technician had removed the fuel line about 1.9 hours before the accident. During an interview with the FAA inspector, the maintenance technician that removed and reinstalled the fuel line stated that he could not specifically recall if he had tightened the fuel line fitting after the initial installation, and presumed he had not.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The en route loss of engine power due to a mechanic's failure to tighten a fuel line fitting, which became disconnected in flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone --
Event City Galena
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99741
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 644417N
Event Location Longitude 1585624W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1300 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID PAGA
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 64
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25271
NTSB Notification Source ANC FAA, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2009 3:46PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fairbanks FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4886U
NTSB Number ANC08LA113
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U20606144
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 1546
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Nugent Equipment LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wasilla
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99654
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Howard Hugent
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Wasilla
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99654
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Wasilla
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City KIANA
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 6 2009 8:51PM
User who most recently changed record johc
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --